Best sounding and also best music on an LP

SteveRB · « **Reply #20 on:** 29 Nov 2011, 11:50 pm »

I read this question as a best album for both music and sound quality. Hands down for me is:

Nina Nastasia, The Blackened Air (2002).

The record was an all analog production, recorded by Steve Albini. Nina Nastasia was a darling of DJ John Peel. She has perfect pitch and is accompanied by an eight-piece acoustic band. The presentation of the record is phenomenal; the range and dynamics is beautiful on the right system. The songs are dark, engaging, but not overly personal.

SteveRB · « **Reply #21 on:** 30 Nov 2011, 12:00 am »

...this has really got me thinking.

My runner-up is a series of field recordings done in the Sahel. Limited to 2000 LPs only. Digital downloads are available with proceeds going back to the region.

“This compilation highlights recordings of local guitar bands in three areas of modern day Senegal and Mali. These bands are almost unknown outside of their homes but have a devoted local following. They play all events, celebratory or political. Their songs are folk anthems, hummed under the breath and chanted by children, traded by cassette and transferred by cellphone. The guitar bands are the pride of their towns.”

The field recordings are amazing: the performers are 'live' in my room while the background atmosphere is uncanny.

http://sahelsounds.com/?p=356

midfi · « **Reply #22 on:** 30 Nov 2011, 05:04 am »

I have more albums than I'm willing to sit up and count and I must say one of the quietest, noise free and well mixed down albums I have is a "regular" off the shelf record of Sting - Nothing like the Sun. Go figure... Voices perfect, cymbal's not over bearing and lower tones sound natural and the background is "black".

BobM · « **Reply #23 on:** 30 Nov 2011, 03:17 pm »

What is good sound without good music. They need to coexist for this list to make sense. So ... in no particular order

Ray Brown - Soular Energy
Alan Parsons - I Robot
Cat Stevens - Tea For the Tillerman (reissues)
Andreas Vollenweider - (most of his stuff)
Eberhard Weber - (most of his stuff from ECM)
Clark Terry - The Alternate Blues
Jim Hall - Concierto
Pat Metheny/Lyle Mays - As Falls Wichita So Falls Wichita Falls
Dire Straits - (most everything)

audiobat · « **Reply #24 on:** 1 Dec 2011, 05:47 pm »

Grabbed Sting-Nothing Like the Sun off Ebay, I thank you for that recommendation.
I realized I like Sting but I don't own a single Sting LP, so that worked out good.

I am looking into some of the other recommendations as well.
Always looking for great music especially if it sounds great too!

toxteth ogrady · « **Reply #25 on:** 1 Dec 2011, 07:06 pm »

Quote from: midfi on 30 Nov 2011, 05:04 am

I have more albums than I'm willing to sit up and count and I must say one of the quietest, noise free and well mixed down albums I have is a "regular" off the shelf record of Sting - Nothing like the Sun. Go figure... Voices perfect, cymbal's not over bearing and lower tones sound natural and the background is "black".

Seems like the bulk of my new wave-ish music from the 80's falls in this category...Police, Pretenders, Talking Heads, Frankie Goes to Hollywood, Thomas Dolby, David Bowie, Talk Talk, Style Council etc etc.. They all sound bloody fantastic in terms of sound quality, and some of them, musically speaking are regular listens for me.

As a joke, I picked up a Neil Diamond live in concert lp at the thrift store for my wife - Hot August Nights, I think. I played it for her that night, right after spinning the Saturday Night Fever and Grease soundtracks

. Mint condition, even without a cleaning (didn't want to waste the fluid) the thing sounded amazing...errr, sound quality wise, of course. One can never admit to liking Neil Diamonds music...too much at stake if one values their reputation

.

Funny that so many of these $1-2 records absolutely trash modern releases on 180 gram vinyl.

SteveRB · « **Reply #26 on:** 1 Dec 2011, 07:13 pm »

Quote from: toxteth ogrady on 1 Dec 2011, 07:06 pm

I picked up a Neil Diamond live in concert lp at the thrift store for my wife - Hot August Nights,

No joke -- that is a great record. Neil Diamond may not always be taken seriously, but he is a world class and fully under-rated song writer.

toxteth ogrady · « **Reply #27 on:** 1 Dec 2011, 07:30 pm »

Alright then. You've given me the courage to come forward...and in a public forum no less. Here it is - Apparently I enjoy Neil Diamonds music since I've listened to this double lp on several occasions, sometimes even without my wife present

.

thunderbrick · « **Reply #28 on:** 1 Dec 2011, 08:04 pm »

I even bought one recently, convinced that I'd long ago disposed of my first Hot August Nights, and was curious.

Then I found my original copy............

Peter Frampton Live, anybody?

joegator81 · « **Reply #29 on:** 11 Dec 2011, 05:23 pm »

oh lets see, i'll just stick to good music and sound combo's.

Pink Floyd "The Wall" original and "Wish you were here" reissue
Ray Lamontagne - only heard "Til the sun turns black", got more coming
Alice in Chains - "MTV Unplugged" is awesome
Herbie Hancock - "Headhunters" reissue
Paul Simon - "Graceland", yep i'll second that
Beck - "Sea Change", second that one too
Faith No More - "Angel Dust", way underrated band and this is their best

i'm sure there is more

Berndt · « **Reply #30 on:** 11 Dec 2011, 11:54 pm »

All the QRP's are amazing.
Pick your poison.

Berndt · « **Reply #31 on:** 11 Dec 2011, 11:56 pm »

The Bernie Grundman and Stan Ricker work is pretty uniformly amazing too.

Feedback1 · « **Reply #32 on:** 12 Dec 2011, 08:48 pm »

Hochrenaissance Tanzmusik: Archiv Production der Deutschen Grammophon Gesellschaft 198166
Michael Praetorius; Daentze aus Tersichore, Erasmus Widmann: Daentze und Galliarden, Johann Hermann Schein: 3 Suiten aus Banchetto Musicale #'s 4,5, und 3. Collegium Terpsichore This recording is an Accoustic Sounds reissue. I wore the old one out. Supertight performance.

Battlefield Band: Stand Easy; Temple Records. When Robin Morton left Boys of the Lough and started producing for Brian McNeill and Alan Reid this group was off to the races. That's what the originator of this thread gets for mentioning bagpipes.

audiobat · « **Reply #33 on:** 14 Dec 2011, 01:57 pm »

Bagpipes, very cool!

Just bought a first pressing of Duke Ellington 'New Orleans Suite' at my local used record store for $5.
I confess I like most Ellington and this one is no exception, it has some great music and sounds pretty sweet to boot!

Delta Wave · « **Reply #34 on:** 14 Dec 2011, 03:14 pm »

For both sound and music...

Beck - Sea Change +1
Stan Ridgway - Mosquitos
Cowboy Junkies - Trinity Sessions
Radiohead - In Rainbows
Roger Waters - The Pros and Cons of Hitch Hiking
Alan Parsons Project - I Robot +1
Echo & the Bunnymen - Self Titled
Golden Palominos - Blast of Silence

audiobat · « **Reply #35 on:** 20 Dec 2011, 02:44 pm »

Alan Parsons - I robot +2! Especially the MFSL version.

Minn Mark · « **Reply #36 on:** 20 Dec 2011, 02:46 pm »

Billy Thorpe "Children of the Sun"

audiobat · « **Reply #37 on:** 22 Dec 2011, 08:20 pm »

Wow, Space Rock pretty obscure one.

jimdgoulding · « **Reply #38 on:** 22 Dec 2011, 09:52 pm »

To these ears, ANALOG is the better vehicle for CLASSICAL music . . as played by my system, anyway.

vinyl_guy · « **Reply #39 on:** 23 Dec 2011, 06:48 pm »

I have to admit that until I read this thread I had never heard of Andreas Vollenweider or Arthur Salvatore. I Googled Vollenweider and immediately understood why I had never heard of him--he doesn't play rock n roll.

Since rock n roll or one of its derivatives is all I have in my collection, which begins in the mid-late 50's with Doo Wop and Buddy Holly, my pick for best music is anything by The Beatles; The Moody Blues, especially their first 7 albums; The Jefferson Airplane/Starship; U2; Neil Young; Procol Harem; Yes; Dire Straits/Mark Knopfler; Buffalo Springfield; Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers; Cream/Eric Clapton. Among newer bands, The Decemberists; Death Cab for Cutie; The New Pornographers; My Morning Jacket.

Best sounding are my MoFi UHQR recording of Sgt Peppers and the new 45 RPM pressing of Fleetwood Mac's Rumours.